Arthropods of Our Homes
Rob Dunn Lab | Projects
About Arthropods of Our Homes
For all of human history, insects and their relatives (collectively known as arthropods) have been our constant companions. We compete with them for food, use them as resources, and – whether we like it or not – share our homes with them. Many species, both common and unfamiliar, have been evolving with us for millenia. The Arthropods of Our Homes project explores the arthropod diversity of our homes. We are interested not only in what species are present, but also how the characteristics of your home and lifestyle may affect the insects, spiders and other arthropods that come to dwell there.
People
- Matt Bertone, Extension Associate, Department of Entomology, NCSU
- Michelle Trautwein, Assistant Curator, Schlinger Chair of Dipterology, California Academy of Sciences
- MJ Epps, Post-doc
- Anne Madden, Post-doc
Project Publications
Leong, M, M.A. Bertone, A.M. Savage, K.M. Bayless, R.R. Dunn, M.D. Trautwein. 2017. The Habitats Humans Provide: Factors affecting the diversity and composition of arthropods in houses. Scientific Reports 7, Article number: 15347. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-15584-2
Bertone MA, Leong M, Bayless KM, Malow TLF, Dunn RR, Trautwein MD. (2016) Arthropods of the great indoors: characterizing diversity inside urban and suburban homes. PeerJ 4:e1582 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.1582. View PDF.
Leong, M., Bertone, M.A., Bayless, K.M., Dunn, R.R., and Trautwein, M.D. (2016). Exoskeletons and economics: indoor arthropod diversity increases in affluent neighbourhoods. Biology Letters 12, 20160322. DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2016.0322. View PDF.
Madden, A.A., Barberan, A., Bertone M.A., Menninger H.L, Dunn, R.R., and N. Fierer (2016) The diversity of arthropods in homes across the United States as determined by environmental DNA analyses. Molecular Ecology. (**Cover**). doi: 10.1111/mec.13900. View PDF.
In the Press
Scientists just completed a census of the creepy crawlies that live in our homes
The Washington Post November 2, 2016 – Features research from the Arthropods of Our Homes project.
Dust DNA Reveals All the Insects and Creatures that Live in American Homes
Newsweek November 22, 2016 – Features research from the Arthropods of Our Homes project.
Just Give Up. It’s Impossible to Bug-Proof Your Home
WIRED January 19, 2016 – Features research from the Arthropods of Our Homes project.
American Homes Are Filled With Bugs (And that’s okay)
The Atlantic January 19, 2016 – Features research from the Arthropods of Our Homes project.
